Meta Lays Off 600 Employees in AI Division

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has laid off around 600 employees from its artificial intelligence (AI) unit. The move is part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to streamline operations while continuing heavy investments in AI development.

Why Did Meta Cut Jobs in AI?

The layoffs primarily targeted Meta’s AI infrastructure team, which handles the computing systems powering AI models like Llama. Despite Meta’s aggressive push into AI, including its latest Llama 3 model, the company is now reallocating resources toward high-priority areas like generative AI products (e.g., AI chatbots and content tools).

This follows Meta’s broader cost-cutting trend—since 2022, the company has eliminated over 21,000 jobs due to economic pressures and pandemic-era overexpansion.

Employee and Industry Reactions

Affected employees have criticized the lack of transparency, taking to LinkedIn to express frustration. Meanwhile, analysts are divided:

✅ Supporters argue Meta needs efficiency to compete with Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI.
❌ Critics worry cuts to infrastructure could slow AI progress, especially for the metaverse.

Meta’s AI Future: What’s Next?

Despite layoffs, Meta remains committed to AI, recently rolling out AI ad tools, WhatsApp stickers, and Llama 3. Experts predict:

✔ Focus on Generative AI – More hiring in AI product roles.
✔ Cloud Partnerships – Meta may rely on Microsoft Azure & AWS for computing needs.
✔ Strategic Shift – Prioritizing consumer-facing AI over backend infrastructure.

Key Takeaway

Meta’s layoffs highlight the challenges of balancing cost-cutting with AI innovation. While the company isn’t backing down from AI, it’s tightening spending—a sign that even tech giants face tough choices in the AI race.

— Reported by [Your Name], NextMinuteNews